Don't Take the Girls
by Zena-Xina
Summary: How could a day go from being perfect to horrific so quickly? One moment Shawn had everything going for him, Jules and their new daughter. The next it was all gone. Stop, stop, stop, he begged the truck. But it didn't.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Oh look, I'm starting a new story! I know, I know, I have other ones I need to finish. But this time is different, and I actually mean. A HUGE thank you to my writing buddy Koohii Kappu for going over this story with me and helping with my mistakes. You're awesome.**_

* * *

Shawn looked down at the little pink bundle in Juliet's arms. He didn't think it was possible for anything to be as perfect as his daughter was. The only other person he had ever felt so much unconditional love before was his wife. This little girl, only two days old, had already stolen his heart, and he loved it. Juliet's 15-hour-long labor had been scary and intense for everyone, but she was finally here and life could not be perfect.

Shawn was taken out of his thoughts when the door opened and a nurse came in with a few papers.

"Okay Mrs. Spencer, all of the tests came back normal and you and Emma are ready to go home!" she said. "I'll bring you back the discharge papers in a little bit to give you time to pack up and change."

Juliet looked excitedly at Shawn and then at her baby. "Your hear that Emma? You get to go home!"

The baby opened her eyes and yawned as if in response.

Shawn gasped, "Oh my gosh, I totally forgot to install the car seat!"

As if on cue, Henry walked in the room.

"Already taken care of! I saw it was still in your living room when I went to get Juliet's iPad from the house," he told them.

"Thanks Dad. I guess with Jules going into labor two weeks early I thought I still had enough time."

"Let's just hope your kid isn't as much as a procrastinator as you are," Henry sighed.

Juliet smirked as Shawn squinted his eyes at his dad.

"Okay, well I'm going to get on my way then. See y'all later tonight?" Henry asked.

"Sounds good," said Shawn. "Thanks again, Dad."

"Thank you Henry!" Juliet chimned in.

"Don't mention it," Henry replied, leaving them alone in the room.

Shawn picked up Emma from his wife's arms and held her as the former changed into normal clothes.

"I absolutely hate hospital gowns. I don't understand why they have to make them so uncomfortable!" she said, expressing her frustrations.

"I know right? I mean if you're in the hospital, you're probably hurt and uncomfortable anyway, why do they have to add insult to injury? Don't they know that you deserve nothing less than the finest hand woven silk imported from China?"

Juliet giggled. "A girl can dream, but I guess we'll never know."

The nurse walked into the room with the promised discharge papers and a pen. Shawn listened as she gave very clear instructions to Juliet about taking care of herself and scheduling appointments for Emma.

"Ready, Jules?" Shawn asked, placing his hands on the back of the wheelchair the hospital provided for their exit.

"Absolutely," Juliet said to Shawn, then whispered to the bundle in her arms. "Momma needs to sleep in her own bed already."

Shawn wheeled them out to their relatively new SUV. He fumbled with the buckles but eventually got Emma strapped in properly before helping Juliet into the passenger seat. He hopped in the driver's seat and sighed deeply. "Okay... Let's do this."

He carefully backed out of their parking space and pulled out of the parking lot, driving with the most amount of caution he possessed. He had precious cargo that he had to protect.

As they slowly made their way home through backstreets, Juliet couldn't help but giggle.

"Shawn, you're driving like an old lady!" Juliet laughed.

"Hey!" he said, defensively. "Old ladies aren't quite as observant as I am. Plus when was the last time you even heard about an old lady getting in a wreck?"

Juliet couldn't help but shrug and agree with him. "You can't do this every time she's in the car!"

Shawn pulled up to a red light, not too far from their house. "No, but I can try."

"I know," Juliet smiled at stared at Shawn. She never would have guessed all those years ago that the reckless, chance taking, man-child she worked with would become such a caring and responsible husband and father. He was still the light-hearted and fun man she grew to love, but there was a whole new mature side to him that Juliet loved too.

"Why are you staring at me?" Shawn asked, puzzled.

"I'm just thinking about how much I love you and what a great father you are."

"Aw, I love you too," he replied.

Shawn drew his attention back to the road as the light finally turned green. As he pulled forward into the intersection, time seemed to suddenly move in slow motion.

He could see the 18-wheeler on their right side. It was almost at the red light, but it wasn't… stopping. His mind, racing a million miles faster than the truck, could see the impact playing in his head several times over. Shawn panicked and stomped on the brakes, the pedal going all the way to the floor.

 _Stop, stop, stop_ , he thought.

But it didn't.

Everything went back into normal speed as they were t-boned and their car started to flip. The sound of their screams and glass and metal crunching had barely reached Shawn's ears before everything black.

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 _ **A/N: The next chapter is coming soon. Don't worry, I wouldn't leave it on that XD**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Thank you again to Koohii Kappu for the help. Sorry I confused you XD**_

* * *

 _Drip. Drip. Drip._

People yelling.

Sirens screaming from far away.

As Shawn slowly comes to, the smell of gasoline is the first thing to register in his foggy mind.

Through all of the sounds fighting for his attention, there's one that sticks out. Breathing… Labored breathing. But it's not his own.

Shawn's eyes shoot open, light blinding him and intensifying his headache.

"Ju….les. Jules!" he cries out. He tried to move to find his wife but pain coursed through him, pinning him in place.

Someone near him yells something about medics.

"Jules. Emma," he whispers, a single tear rolling down his cheek. Whether it was from the pain or her lack of response, Shawn would never be able to tell.

The sirens get louder as an ambulance arrives on the scene. Shawn desperately listens for a cry from his daughter, but could not hear a single noise coming from the back.

"Help!" he calls out weakly. "Help them!"

The fog took over again as Shawn's vision turned black.

* * *

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

People talking softly.

Wheels from a cart squeak somewhere down the hall.

Shawn wakes up slowly, letting his senses come back to him one at a time.

He could smell disinfectant and hear a heart monitor not far from him. Soon after, pain radiated through his body, bringing him into full consciousness.

 _The hospital?_ Shawn thought, confused. _Wasn't I just here?_

Shawn's eyes shot open as the memories flooded back to him in a rush, his moment of calmness taken away. His own pain took a backseat as he remembered the accident.

"Jules! Emma!" he cried out, thrashing in his bed, trying to get up. He looked around the moment his eyes adjusted to the bright lights, searching for any signs of his wife and child.

Instead, he's met with the somber face of Henry.

His dad runs over to calm him down. "Shawn, stop! You're going to hurt yourself! They're not in here!"

Shawn calms down enough to study his dad for the first time. His eyes were puffy and his cheeks stained. _He's been crying_ , Shawn observes. His shoulders were hunched over and he was tired.

"Dad... Where's Jules and Emma?" Shawn asked weakly, hoping they were somewhere else in the hospital.

Shawn didn't know if was Henry's lack of response or the look on his face that broke his heart more. He had seen that look from Juliet whenever she used to break the news to victim's families. He had seen it given to others numerous times but never to himself before.

"No..." he whispered.

"I'm so, so, sorry Shawn." Henry whispered. "They didn't make it."

Shawn's mind shatters, unable to process the grief that hits him like a brick to the head. Tears start rolling down his face before he can even register them. All stages of grief seem to course through him at the same time.

"That can't be!" Shawn yells. "NO! I-I should be the one, not them. I was the one driving!"

"You... You died too, Shawn... Twice, actually…" Henry choked. "They were able to resuscitate you but the damage to the girls was too severe."

Shawn sat in silence, a million things rushing through his mind.

"I can't even imagine how you feel right now, son. I-"

"Dad," Shawn interrupts. "Can I have some alone time?"

Henry looked down at his son hooked up to all of the machines, several casts and bandages lacing his body. He had never seen so much despair on his face before.

"Yeah, of course," he said, slightly hurt but understanding, leaving the room.

* * *

Gus stood outside of the I.C.U. doors for the longest time. He didn't even know how to approach his best friend. He wanted to be there for him... But how? Never had he had any problem being near his friend... except maybe when he was mad at him... But this was a whole new situation. The only other real time he had had to comfort his friend was when his Shawn's mom had left.

He sucked in a deep breath. It was now or never. He pushed his way through the doors and made his way over to Room C, where Henry had told him Shawn would be. He slowly approached the windows, afraid to see what kind of shape his friend was in. Right after the accident, Shawn had been wheeled straight to surgery and it had been a waiting game to find out his outcome. At the time they hadn't known anything about the condition of the other passengers.

Gus was hurting too, but he knew he had to do his best to not let it show. He needed to be strong for Shawn. Juliet had been his close friend as well and while he had only met his goddaughter twice, he had already accepted her as family. He had been grieving since he heard the news and worried about his best friend. The hospital had said only blood relatives were approved to see him the first 24 hours, so he hadn't been allowed to visit yet.

He stepped forward, sliding the glass door open, juggling the plant with a cheesy balloon sticking out of it that his mom had made him bring.

Shawn was the only one in the room, laying motionless in his bed. Gus thought maybe he was asleep at first, until he turned slightly, glancing to see who his visitor was.

Gus gave a small smile as he placed the plant next to a couple other items people had sent in. "Hey, buddy."

"Hi," Shawn said flatly, turning his head back to the window.

Gus examined his friend, piecing together what the doctor had reported with what he could see. Broken left leg, broken right wrist, two broken ribs, internal bleeding, multiple deep cuts and lacerations requiring stitches, nasty bruising. He had been through the wringer, but Gus guessed it was his emotional state that had taken the biggest hit.

 _Crap, what do I even say?_ He thought. He didn't want to seen uncaring but at the same time the usual "How are you doing?" and "How do you feel?" felt inappropriate and wrong. He was pretty sure he already knew the answers anyway.

Shawn laid unmoving, the mix of emotions on his face too indiscernible. Gus could tell he had been crying not long before he was there.

"Uhm…" Gus said. "I just want to let you know that I'm here for you Shawn. You know you can always talk to me."

Shawn flicked his eyes at Gus just long enough to make eye contact. "Thanks."

Gus frowned at his short responses. He knew he had to be pained because even in tough times Shawn usually deflected with jokes and drawn-out sentences. But this time was completely different.

"Okay, well... you just rest up buddy. I'll see you later."

Shawn stayed in his position as Gus turned and left the room.

"Bye, Gus," he whispered as the door closed, squeezing his eyes shut to try and prevent the tears that were welling up in his eyes again.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I'm kind of struggling with this little thing called tense. If anything sticks out weirdly to you, please let me know. My brain can't seem to make up its mind.**_


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